After a brief respite on Saturday, strong winds from the north and northeast are expected to return to the Los Angeles area as early as Sunday. This could result in up to three Santa Ana wind events starting next week, officials said.
Firefighters continue to battle multiple large wildfires across the region, with much of Los Angeles County under a red flag warning through Friday night.
The dangerous combination of low humidity, dry fuels and variable winds makes suppressing wildfires a complex effort. Fueled by wind gusts of up to 40 mph overnight, the 20,000-acre Palisades Fire was only 8% contained as of Friday, while the Eaton Fire, which has burned nearly 14,000 acres in Altadena and Pasadena, was only 3% contained. Only the fire has been extinguished.
Firefighters set up fire lines after a lull in Saturday’s winds helped put out two large blazes and several other smaller fires burning in the area. I was expecting. At least 10 people were killed in the fire, and authorities say the death toll could be higher.
“When it’s windy, hot and dry, it’s better for us and our crews to go into areas with steep, rugged terrain that can be a bit dangerous,” said California’s Will Powers. ” he said. Forest and Fire Prevention Public Relations Officer.
A firefighter who was injured in a fall while working on the Eaton Fire on Thursday is hospitalized and in stable condition, officials said Friday.
Kristan Lund, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard, said winds are likely to be “moderate to strong” and peak Tuesday, triggering new red flags. But she noted the worst is expected to be concentrated in Ventura County.
That may give Los Angeles County firefighters some respite, but it could also cause further concerns in already resource-strapped areas farther west.
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